Supporting means for electric fence wire and the like



Oct. 4, 1960 w so 2,955,150

SUPPORTING MEANS FOR ELECTRIC FENCE WIRE AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 16,1957 INVENTOR RoZer-ZM 14 2250 1 BY 0L (2.9M

ATTORNEY United States Patent SUPPORTING MEANS FOR ELECTRIC FENCE WIREAND THE LIKE '3 Claims. (Cl. 174-159) The present invention dealsbroadly with electrical equipment, and in its specific phases with anarmored and electrically insulated pin particularly adapted for electricfencing use.

Various forms of insulators and mountings have been proposed for use inconnection with electric fencing and the like, and perhaps the commonesthas been the porcelain insulator with a nail through its center, andwith such nail having a compressible washer under its head and means forholding the nail against removal from the insulator. This combination isrelatively bulky and easily broken. It was a recognition of thissituation and the need of a more simplified and less bulky constructionwhich led to the conception and development of the present invention.

Accordingly among the objects of the present invention is the provisionof an exceptionally simple and inexpensive device for mounting anelectric fence wire upon a wooden post or the like, and for preventingany grounding of the wire through the post.

A metal pin is provided for connection at one end with a wooden post orthe like, said pin having an insulating sleeve surrounding it and, inturn, a metal wire-engaging grommet surrounds this sleeve: and a furtherobject of this invention is to make novel provision for holding thesleeve in proper position on the pin and for holding the grommet againstmoving out of place on the sleeve.

A still further object is to provide a novel construction in which thereis little likelihood of the wire touching the metal portion of the pineven if the wire should become accidentally disconnected from thegrommet.

Yet another object is to provide the pin with a pointed end to be driveninto the wooden post.

Still further objects and advantages of the invention will appear as thedescription proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention,then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularlypointed out in the claims, the annexed drawing and the followingdescription setting forth in detail certain means for carrying out theinvention, such disclosed means illustrating, however, but one ofvarious ways in which the principle of the invention may be used- In theannexed drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, the pin of the presentinvention.

Figure 2 is a similar view, partially in section, showing the insulatingsleeve applied to the pin.

Figure 3 is a similar view, partially in section, showing the grommetmounted on the insulating sleeve.

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view on line 44 of Figure3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a side view of a preferred form of the grommet beforebending it around the insulating sleeve carried by the pin of Figure 1.

The construction shown in the drawing is a preferred showing one and,for ready understanding of the invention, will be specificallydescribed, but it is to be understood that variations may well be madewithin the spirit and obvious scope of the invention as shown in thedrawing and herein described.

Referring more particularly to Figure 1 of the drawing, a metal pin 6 isprovided and which has a pointed end 7 to be driven into a post, and ablunt end 8 upon which to deliver driving hammer blows. This pin isprovided with two longitudinally spaced circumferential flanges 9 whichare integral therewith. Both flanges are spaced from the ends of thepin: and the flange toward the pointed pin end 7 preferably has greaterspacing from this end than the spacing of the other flange from the pinend 8.

An insulating sleeve 10, formed from a suitable dielectric insulatingmaterial such as the pliable plastic known as Plasticol is snuglyapplied to the pin 6 and its flanges 9, preferably by a dippingoperation. This sleeve 10 covers the pin 6 from a plane at or near theblunt end 8 to a plane suitably spaced from the pointed end 7 tofacilitate driving of the pin into a'post or the like and said sleevehas circumferential ribs 11 covering the flanges 9. The sleeve .10 thushas two internal channels 12 extending into the ribs 11 and snuglyreceiving and holding the flanges 9, respectively.

A wire-engaging grommet 13, of metal or other suitable armoringmaterial, surrounds the insulating sleeve 10 between the two ribs 11,Figure 3. These ribs 11 hold the grommet 13 in place on the sleeve 10and this sleeve is held against longitudinal shifting by the engagementof said ribs 11 with the flanges 9 of pin 6.

The grommet 13 is preferably preformed in U-shape, as shown in Figure 5,from a suitable metal such as soft steel, aluminum, copper, or the like,and then bent into position around the sleeve 10 between ribs 11. In sobending the grommet, it may be made to form a substantially concentricshape, but in actual practice it has been found to be generally easierto form if the extending ends of the grommet blank are a little long sothat the finished grommet assumes an ovate form as shown in Figure 4.The ideal shape of the grommet would be circular, but as stated, thisshape has been found somewhat impractical from the standpoint of ease ofmanufacture and mounting in place on pin 6.

In using the invention, one pin 6 is driven into each wooden post or thelike along the fence line. The elec tric fence wire is anchored bywinding around one of the pin carried grommets 13 then stretched to thenext post, wrapped around the pin carried grommet on this post,stretched to the next post, and so on. The grommets, which are ofoutwardly flanged edge form, as shown, protect and armor the insulatingsleeves against injury from the wire, and since these insulating sleevesextend appreciably beyond the opposite sides of the grommets, they alsogive limited protection against the wire touching of any of the pins 6even though it should accidentally become disconnected from one of thegrommets.

It will be seen from the foregoing that a novel article of simplifiedform with great durability and high efficiency has been provided foruse, such as in electric fencing, but attention is again invited to thepossibility of making variations within the spirit and scope of theinvention as above described and shown in the drawing.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedinstead of the one explained, change being made as regards the articleand combinations herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any ofthe following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A driven insulator member for an electric fence wire or the like,comprising an elongated metal pin one end' of which is adapted to beinserted into and project from a post, said pin in its profectingportion having-two outwardly projecting, longitudinally spaced, integralcircumferential flanges, an insulating sleeve snugly surrounding andcovering said pin in the portion of same including said flanges, saidsleeve having two integral circumferential projectingv rflas, saidinsulating sleeve also having two internal channels extending into said.ribs and receiving said flanges of said metal pin respectivelyg. and anarmoring. grommet having. outfur'ned side edges, saidgrommet looselysurrounding and protecting'the outer face of said insulating sleeveBetween said ribs, said flanges being spaced from the ends of said pinrespectively and the end portion of said insulating sleeve extendingfrom said ribs a substantial distance toward. said pin endsrespect'i-vely, but short oi reaching same so as to permit 4, drivingsaid pin and entry into a post without injuring said insulating sleeve,-d metal pin having a pointed end to be driven into a post.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1, in which said grommet is ofovate shape in cross section perpendicular to its longitudinal axis.

3. A structure as specified claim 1, in which said insulating sleeve isof dielectric plastkr, and said grommet is of metal.

References Cited in the tileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 383,951Hegbom June 5, 1888 527,317 Bullock Oct. 9, 1894 592,505 Barbour Oct.26, 1897 696,665 Benbow Apr. 1, 1902 903,692 Finckel Nov. 10, 19082,191,171 Lee Feb. 20, 1940 2,527,442 Qdegaard. Oct. 24, 1950 2528 288Rublee Oct. 31,. 1950

